Time-lock.



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE,

CHARLES W. SPICER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TIME-Lock.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,668, dated January 20, 1903. Application led October 28, 1902. Serial No. 129,172. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES W. SPIcER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Locks, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improvements in time-locks; and it consists in the novel combination of the ordinary alarm-clock with a lock and is designed for use on house-doors, so that when the lock is attached to a door such door may be securely locked for a predetermined time and then automatically unlocked, as for the admission of servants and similar purposes. To accomplish this, I use in combination with my lock an ordinary alarm-clock, the alarm mechanism of which in addition to operating the lock to withdraw the bolt also serves to notify the household that the door to which it is attached has been unlocked.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures l and 4 are rear views of the invention, the back plate of the lock-casing being removed in both cases. Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section; and Fig. 3 is a top view, also partly in section.

In all the views similar letters refer to similar parts. j

Referring to Fig. 1, A indicates an ordinary alarm-clock, and B the casing of the lock, with which it is connected. C is a pinion mounted upon the shaftW of the alarm mechanism of the clock and meshes with the gearsegment D, which is rigidly mounted upon the shaft H of the lock. The rocker F is also rigidly mounted upon this shaft H or preferably forms a part of the same. E is the bolt of the lock and has upon the extremities of its bifurcations e e the projections or lugs G G', one of which is engaged by the rocker F when the lock is operated. L isla casing for the spring K, the outer end of which spring is engaged and held in place by the projection I of the bolt. The casing L is held in place by the bifurcations of the bolt E, the projection N of the lock-casing, and the action of the spri'ng K pressing against the outer end of the bolt E around the projection I. The bolt E is normally pressed outward by the spring K. To the bottom of the clockcase are secured the rods or supports O, having the hooked ends Q, as shown in Fig. 2. S is a bracket secured to the door X or other object in connection with which the lock is used and has its outer end slotted to freely admit the standard T of the clock, which standard ordinarily carries the gong of the alarm. Upon the bracket S is the flat spring R, which has the hole U near its outer end. Secured to the lock-casing is the angle-bar P, which carries the hooks Q of the rods O when the clock is in position. This angle-bar P is made removable, so that it may be secured to the other side of the lock-casing when the lock is placed upon a door opening in the opposite direction from that indicated in the drawings. The clock is attached to the lock by placing the ends of the supporting-rods O upon the angle-bar P, slightly pressing upward the spring R, and pushing the clock backward, so that the top of the standard T goes between the outer ends s s of the bracket S until the standard is engaged by the hole U of the spring R and the pinion C is in mesh with the gear-segment D, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the invention is follows: The clock is wound and the alarm set to operate at a given time in the usual manner, and the clock is then placed in position in connection with the lock mechanism as described and as shown in Figs. l and 2. Vhen the alarm mechanism of the clock is actuated, the pinion C revolves, causing the shaft I-Lthrough the gear-segment D, to revolve, thus causing the rockerF to turn, engage the projection G, and draw the bolt E inward against the pressure of the spring 'K until it is in the position indicated in Fig. 4f. The bolt will then remain in this position until the clock is removed andis again wound and set to operate as described.

While in the drawings I have shown the lock as attached only to a door opening in one direction, it is obvious that it can be used for a door opening in the opposite direction bydetaching the gear-segment D from the shaft H, turning the lock around with reference to the clock, and replacing the gear-segment upon the shaft, thus bringing the other end of the rocker F into play when the lock IOO is in operation. In order to do this, it is also necessary to change the position of the anglebar P, which is made detachable, as described, and can readily be changed from one side of the lock-casing to the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a time-lock ofthe character described, the combination ofa bolt With the alarm mechanism of a clock, and means whereby the bolt Will be Withdrawn when the alarm mechanism is operated, substantially as described.

2. Inatime-lockof thecharacterdescribed, the combination of a bolt, a spring to keep the same normally pressed outward, a shaft having a rocker and gear -segment rigidly mounted upon it, and a pinion secured to the alarm mechanism of a clock and meshing with said segment, by which the rocker is caused to engage and withdraw the bolt when the alarm mechanism is actuated, substantially as described.

3. In a time-lock of the character described, the combination of a bifureated latch-bolt, having,r projections upon its rear extremities, a rocker adapted to engage said projections, a spring,lr to keep the bolt normally pressed outward, and a pinion secured to the alarm mechanism of a clock and meshing with a gear-segment rigidly connected With said rocker, whereby when the alarm mechanism is actuated the rocker is operated to engage one of said projections on the bolt and Withdraw the bolt, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. SPICER.

Vitnesses:

JILsoN D. ENTWIsLE, NEWMAN BRETT. 

